Just read that the Chicago Bears have been mentioned in trade rumors to move Linebacker and probable Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher to the Arizona Cardinals and in return, get rights to Anquan Boldin, one of the top receivers in NFL.
This would be a shock to the Bears system of building a top-rated defense. However, with Urlacher, the Bears were not a top-rated defensive unit. They made some nice plays and had a few goal-line stands but teams moved the ball on them either on the ground, or in the air. You would have to say that rushing D is stronger that passing D.
Boldin is a 1000+ yards receiver and would force teams to develop schemes to counter-act the passing attack. Currently, the Bears don't have a receiver that forces teams to "cover" their receivers. Having Boldin would be a big improvement. Getting another wideout to balance the passing attack would be the next logical step. If the Bears had Bernard Berrian and Boldin, they would be much better positioned. But the Bears let Berrian get away and he burned them in a key game vs. the Vikes this past season.
Urlacher was a great player, but he has slowed down. This is either due to injuries or enough wear and tear on the body. A good car used enough, will eventually break down. And, Urlacher was the Bears D for years. I'd be sad to see him go, but at least he is going to a good team, and the Bears may be getting a class A receiver. The Bears seem to find linebackers easier than wide receivers, so Urlacher will be replaced. In my time as a Bear fan, the Bears have had Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Urlacher at middle linebacker. Some great players there. How many wide receivers have the Bears had equal in talent to their linebackers? Maybe 1 player in 40 years. Now, The Bears have holes to fill at QB and on defense. But at least the attempt to get Boldin is intriguing. Honestly, the fan-base deserves a team with top talent to compete for a playoff berth. They almost made it last season with grit and some smoke and mirrors. But, they fell short. I'd like to see a player in his prime make the Bears better.
